The Court of Appeal in Sokoto has dismissed an appeal brought by Senator Sahabi Ya’u Kaura, which contested a Federal High Court ruling in Gusau regarding the All Progressives Congress senatorial primary for Zamfara North. The appellate court sustained the lower court’s verdict initiated by Dr Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi, an APC senatorial aspirant, thereby confirming the directive for a new primary election in the district. Speaking to journalists after the ruling, Shinkafi’s counsel, Bello Galadi, noted that the court addressed all arguments put forward by the appellant and threw out the appeal for lacking merit. Galadi explained that while Kaura had challenged the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, the appellate court affirmed the lower court’s authority to hear the case and dismissed claims that the burden of proof was wrongly shifted. He stated that the evidence proved a failure to follow the party’s rules and guidelines, hailing the decision as a triumph for democracy and the rule of law.
The court ruled in his favour and ordered the party to conduct a fresh primary election within 14 days.
Dissatisfied with the judgement, Kaura proceeded to the Court of Appeal to challenge the decision.
Reacting to the appellate court’s ruling, Shinkafi described it as a victory for democracy and urged his supporters across Shinkafi, Birnin Magaji, Zurmi and Kaura Namoda local government areas to continue advocating for what he called equitable political representation.
The dispute centres on the APC’s process for selecting its senatorial candidate for Zamfara North ahead of the forthcoming elections.
What You Should Know
An Appeal Court in Sokoto has officially thrown out an appeal filed by Senator Sahabi Ya’u Kaura, confirming that a brand new primary election must be held for the All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial ticket in Zamfara North. The legal battle was initiated by Dr Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi, who argued that the initial primary process was flawed and ignored party guidelines.
- Positive Impact: This ruling reinforces internal party democracy, accountability, and the principle that political parties must strictly follow their own rules and guidelines during candidate selection.
- Potential Concerns: The protracted legal battle and the mandate for a fresh election could create intra-party friction, divisions, and logistical challenges as preparations unfold for the affected local government areas.
